Follieri Scammed Priest Out Of $110,000
Anne Hathaway's ex-boyfriend Raffaello Follieri scammed a New Jersey priest out of $110,000 (GBP59,459), claiming he needed the cash to pay nuns.
Atlantic City monsignor William Hodge has requested his name be added to the list of victims the Italian businessman allegedly conned, claiming Follieri tricked him into paying for plane tickets and other bogus expenses, reports the New York Daily News.
Follieri was arrested on 24 June - shortly after his split from Hathaway - and accused of running a scam between 2005 and 2007 which involved purchasing unwanted U.S. properties owned by the Catholic Church.
Earlier this month, he admitted to misappropriating at least $2.4 million (GBP1.3 million) of investors' money.
He became close to Hodge after they met in 2005 when Follieri was trying to buy unused church properties in Atlantic City. They later travelled together to Rome, Italy, where Follieri introduced Hodge to Vatican officials.
Hodge's lawyer, William Hughes, has slammed reports suggesting Follieri hired the priest to convince investors of his close ties to the Vatican.
He says: "Utilising the exact same scheme and behaviour, the same confident man that separated one of this country's richest men from his money, also separated this priest from his trusting nature."
Follieri, 30, pleaded guilty to 14 counts of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and money laundering in a Manhattan Federal court on 10 September, admitting he sent funds to foreign personal bank accounts that were disguised as business accounts, and used the funds for his own expenses.
Follieri is due to be sentenced on 3 October and faces a minimum of five years in jail.
Atlantic City monsignor William Hodge has requested his name be added to the list of victims the Italian businessman allegedly conned, claiming Follieri tricked him into paying for plane tickets and other bogus expenses, reports the New York Daily News.
Follieri was arrested on 24 June - shortly after his split from Hathaway - and accused of running a scam between 2005 and 2007 which involved purchasing unwanted U.S. properties owned by the Catholic Church.
Earlier this month, he admitted to misappropriating at least $2.4 million (GBP1.3 million) of investors' money.
He became close to Hodge after they met in 2005 when Follieri was trying to buy unused church properties in Atlantic City. They later travelled together to Rome, Italy, where Follieri introduced Hodge to Vatican officials.
Hodge's lawyer, William Hughes, has slammed reports suggesting Follieri hired the priest to convince investors of his close ties to the Vatican.
He says: "Utilising the exact same scheme and behaviour, the same confident man that separated one of this country's richest men from his money, also separated this priest from his trusting nature."
Follieri, 30, pleaded guilty to 14 counts of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and money laundering in a Manhattan Federal court on 10 September, admitting he sent funds to foreign personal bank accounts that were disguised as business accounts, and used the funds for his own expenses.
Follieri is due to be sentenced on 3 October and faces a minimum of five years in jail.
- 9/23/2008
- WENN
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